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Attorney General reports litigation wins, staff losses to federal government and seeks VINE and security funding
Summary
Attorney General Chris Kobach told the Ways and Means Committee his office has been active in high‑profile litigation but has lost senior attorneys to the new federal administration; the office seeks continued funding for VINE victim notification, cyber security positions and a new Safe and Secure Firearm Detection program.
Attorney General Chris Kobach summarized his office’s recent litigation workload, staffing changes and policy priorities in testimony to the Ways and Means Committee, and KLRD fiscal staff outlined budget items the agency requested for FY2025–26.
Kobach said the office has led or co‑led 12 federal suits against the prior administration on issues such as student loan forgiveness, Title IX rule changes, and health‑benefits eligibility; he said those efforts generated high‑profile hiring interest from the new U.S. Department of Justice. “When I came in, we had 25 unfilled attorney positions… We have brought on a net of 11 attorneys. Unfortunately I have to report that since this was printed, it’s now back down to 10,” Kobach said, and he later stated the office has “31.5 of our 204.1 FTEs vacant.”
KLRD analyst Arianna Waddell briefed the committee on several specific items in the AG’s budget: the VINE (Victim Information and Notification Everyday) system, which provides automated custody notifications to crime victims; a $548,000 updated quote for VINE (the office is requesting an additional $248,000 to fully fund it for FY2025); and a larger House provision that would add $7 million to a “Safe and Secure Firearm Detection Program” to acquire or subsidize weapon‑detection software for public entities and accredited nonpublic schools. House language specifies performance and security standards for any vendor‑provided firearm detection service.
The Office of the Medicaid Inspector General (OMIG), housed inside the AG’s office and funded in part by federal grants, reported audit identifications of more than $16 million in potential savings. OMIG staff described two examples: recovering roughly $12 million annually by correcting nursing‑home bed tax rate billing and recouping roughly $1.3 million in capitation paid for deceased Medicaid beneficiaries.
Kobach also sought $450,000 in noncapital funds to consolidate multiple AG divisions into Memorial Hall when the Secretary of State’s office vacates that building; staff said costs reflect historic‑building adaptation work and partitioning. The House and governor took differing positions on many of the office’s enhancement requests; for example, the House added proviso language and funding for the firearm detection program while the governor recommended partial or alternate funding on some cybersecurity positions and other items.
Committee members asked the AG and agency staff about vacancy counts, hiring timelines and whether VINE funding and the firearm‑detection program will be ongoing costs. AG staff said they would provide additional details on ongoing operating costs and the procurement model for the firearm detection program.
